The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-13
General and Personal.


The Road masters Association of America,
which has mem ership of four hundred road
masters. is holding it's fifth annual meeting in
Cleveland. The association discusses the value
of various appliances. and the programme pre-
pared for the meeting this year includes the fol-
lowing: First, unfinished business; second.
standard guard rails for frogs; third, standard
frogs; fourth, standard guardrails for bridges
and reraing safety frogs at bridges; fifth, stand
ard track joints; sixth, standard rail- seventh,
standard hand-cars.
On paying its corporation tax to the State OF
New Yosk. amounting to $57, 225, the New York
Central road filed pro test, claiming that the
tax on all Its interstate business was Illegal and
III violation Of the Constitution OF the United
States, which bestows the federal govern
m ent the sole right to regulate commerce be-
tween the States The Central road claims
that me earnings only IL that part OF its bust
ness begun and ended in the State are subject
to State tax. The tax of about half the earn
ings of the New York Central & Hudson River
road are involved in the decision.
The uncertainty which attends the value Of
railroad property is aptly illustrated in the
Peoria. Decatur 81 Evansville road. One of the
New York financial papers qnotes one of the of
ficers of the road saying that its physical
dition had heen greatly improved. its earnings
were increasing and without doubt the road
would next year take it's position among the div
ldend-paying roads. On the same day that this
bull article appeared the Railroad Commissioners
of Illinois, it is stated. were to be asked con-
denim the road, it being unsafe to run trains
certain portions of 1t, the track and bridges be-
ing In wretched condition.
In his address at the opening of Wander
pitts Christian Association and Railroad
Mems Home, President Depew predicted that
within ten years. from Maine to the Pacific
coast and from the Atlantic the lakes, in
every railroad center there would be railroad
mems home, In its equipments and appoint
ments worthy the intelligence, the manhood,
and the public spirit of the railroad men of the
country" There is no reason that Indianapolis
should not at once make move to establish
railroad mems home at this important railroad
center The matter has been agitatsd two or
three times but the interest in the enterprise
soon died out.
Last week meeting of the employees of the
Penpsylvan a road held in Philadelphia,
called In the interest of the District AS
sembly 2l2, which is composed wholly of en-
pioyes on the Pennsylvania lines This meeting
was called for the purpose of devsing ways and
means for extending the field of the association.
The district officers claim that they have 40, 900
memb ers enrolled on their books who are scat
tered among train men, section men. crossing
tenders and shop men. The engineers and con-
ouctors have not joined the organization. The
meeting was perfectly harmonious and speeches
were made in favor OF further organization and
the several plans suggested were adopted. Ono
OF the officers OF the district said the new dis
trlct did not intend to further any unreasonable
action or to advocate strikes, but intended to
put its best talent in committees to meet the
officers OF the road and confer for their mutual
interests.
The Peoria & Terre Haute road, formerly the
ILLINOIS Midland, seems to have q legal muddle
on hand which involves several thousand dol
lars. The Decatur Republican says: "When
the Illinois Midland railway now the Peoria g.
Ierre Haute, was built through De Witt county,
the people of Barnett township voted So 900 in
bonds to aid In its construction. During the
process OF building. it seems that the road was
not carried along the original survey.
but new route laid out several
miles distant The bonds were never signed,
and the people refused to Day them because of a
violation of the contract by the railroad com
pany. The matter went into litigation, and the
Supreme Court finally ordered that they be paid.
Through various strateeies their payment has
been evaded and now William Durham, as rep
resentative of the railroad company, has brought
suit against some ten or fifteen prominent men
OF the county. charging them with conspiracy to
defeat the order OF the Supreme Court He LAYS
q images at $40. 600. The original amount of
bonds voted, together with the interest, is now
1900 The case is a very important one, and is
much attention"